Nord User Forum

Hey, I'm a new member! I have a Nord Electro 3 61 sw waterfall keys. Works fine. But I would like to upgrade to a 73 keys keyboard but not ready to latest model. I'm willing to spend more but not quite that much yet. What's a good upgrade for a used keyboard similar to what I have--only better?

Hi and welcome!

If you like to stay in the Nord world you may look for a 2nd hand Electro 4 SW73, or an Electro 5D 73

If you stick with the waterfall 73 keys, the Electro 4 has the following improvements over the E3:
- Improved organ engine
- Better program navigation layout
- More memory in both the piano and sample synth sections

The Electro adds on top of that:
- Improved OLED display
- Split/layer capabilities
- Nord’s latest organ engine
- Organ drawbars on the 73 model (E4 has LEDs & buttons)
- Much more memory in both the piano and samples synth sections. The 1GB piano memory is a big improvement
- More extensive effects and parameters

It depends on how you use it. If you are mostly organ and some piano, the E4 sounds great (albeit no drawbars on the 73). I used one for quite a while and really enjoyed it. If you are more piano than organ, the Electro 5 is a better choice if you can swing it.

Just my opinion.

Thanks Schorsch and Rusty Mike. I was leaning towards the E4 from what I've researched. Mainly, I play piano for myself and at parties. But recently, I was invited to join a rock band. (Haven't done that since high school--oh, and fyi, I attended Woodstock!) I'm finally up to speed with the buttons on my E3 that I bought used several years ago. So I don't want to jump into something that requires a big new learning curve. E4 sounds like a good transition and worth the extra few bucks. I'll look around for it. And thanks again!

I have an E4 sw 73, I love it but sometimes I miss the layering and splitting functions. Why not consider an E5 instead? Still not the latest model but a huge improvement over the 3.

I went from the 3 to the 5, mostly for the split/layer options (and the possibility to hook it up to an external keyboard and to play one of the sounds from there). I never regretted the step. Love my NE 5D 73, with the drawbars and all

Thanks Alex and Maurus! Very helpful. I'm now considering either an e5 or e6. I found a good price on a new e6/73 locally (NYC) that's about $300 more than the excellent condition 5's I saw online--$2400. You think I'm jumping too far from my e3? Or I just go for it.

If you are playing as much piano as you say, the E5 is a better investment. It has 1GB of piano sample memory, which is leaps over the 380MB in the E4. Split capability and drawbars are also game changers.

I would recommend at least the Electro 5 if you can swing it. With regard to the E6, be wary of deals too good to be true. There is a dealer here in the NYC area who posts ridiculous prices for new items, but I understand his terms and demeanor are somewhat questionable.

There is another dealer in the NY Metro area who lists open box or returns on eBay. I have called them in the past to inquire about those, and they alternatively offered me brand new for pretty significant discount. I don’t know if they do this anymore as I have purchased from them in a while.

Buying a new E6 from a reputable retailer gets you all the advantages of the newest model plus the warranty.

Good luck on your quest.

For a while I had both a NE 5D 73 and a 6D 61. In the end I prefered the 5D and sold the 6 again. 73 keys and some MIDI capabilities the 5 has and the 6 doesn't were the main reason. For some reason (which I don't fully understand) I also preferred the sound output of the 5 to the 6 in my setup, and I didn't need the added split and layering capabilites of the 6. YMMV.

Hey Maurus and Rusty Mike.
You guys are real helpful. I'm likely going with the E6 since it's local and available, the price seems reasonable, and it comes with warranty. The guy selling it out of box runs a reputable repair shop in midtown that's been around a long time. He's cantankerous but, hey, this is New York and I know where to find him. As to your point, Maurus, I probably don't need most of the stuff (layers, xtra splits, synths, etc.) on this or any keyboard. I'll use a fraction of the gizmos when playing at a party or at a gig with the old-timer rock band that recently invited me in. I'm an Architect by trade and I confess that I'm drawn in by the sheer beauty of this red machine. The extra keys and the richer sounds (primarily for basic pianos and organs) are also a BIG step up for me from the E3. Other bells and whistles will in my case be mostly for experimentation and fun.
It's also enjoyable to be part of this community and to discuss NE keyboards with you. JK